MESA, Ariz. -- Immediately after the final out of Class A Daytona's games last season, Cubs prospect Albert Almora would rush into the clubhouse to check his phone to see if his father was still alive.

"People can't imagine what I went through in games," Almora said. "I'd finish a game and check my phone to see if something happened. People don't understand that. People just look at the box scores and they don't understand what happens off the field."

MESA, Ariz. -- Joe Maddon named Jon Lester as the Opening Night starter. Does that mean David Ross will be the Cubs' Opening Night catcher?

Lester has a 2.77 ERA when Ross is behind the plate, but Maddon said Tuesday that he hasn't written his lineup that far in advance. Lester and Ross will be paired together on Friday when the lefty makes his Cactus League debut.

Wood, Turner to start split-squad games Thursday

MESA, Ariz. -- Dexter Fowler has had to play in some giant-sized ballparks with the Rockies and Astros. Wrigley Field will be a little different, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon likes what he's seen of the center fielder.

Maddon watches the outfielder's feet during drills, and so far, Fowler's footwork has passed the tests. What will be key, Maddon said, is communication between Fowler and the corner outfielders.

MESA, Ariz. -- Manager Joe Maddon made it official Monday: Jon Lester will start Opening Night, April 5, for the Cubs against the Cardinals.

Early in camp, Maddon indicated it was fairly obvious that Lester, who signed a six-year, $155 million contract in December, would kick off the Cubs season. But he wanted to talk to the left-hander first.

Renovation of Wrigley Field progressing as planned

Construction continues on through the snow and cold weather at Wrigley Field. (Nick Ulivieri)

By Cash Kruth
/
MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- Phase One of the Wrigley Field 1060 Project remains relatively on target despite a cold winter, Cubs officials said Monday afternoon during a media tour of the construction zone.

The left-field concourse work and plaza development are going smoothly, while the bleachers remain a bit behind schedule, as previously announced at Cubs Convention. The center- and left-field bleachers will be ready May 11, with the right-field bleachers opening in early to mid June.

Center fielder has opportunity to get back on track with new team

MESA, Ariz. -- Dexter Fowler is a center fielder, not an advance scout.

But that didn't stop Fowler from paying close attention to the opposing team last year, when he was playing against the Triple-A Iowa Cubs while working his way back to Minute Maid Park after straining an intercostal muscle. He grew more impressed after every one of the four games, and he quickly drew on those memories when the Astros traded him to the Cubs in January.

After gaining confidence in 2014, right-hander poised for big year

MESA, Ariz. -- Justin Grimm seems best suited to be a reliever. The antsy right-hander can barely sit still in the Cubs' clubhouse. It's hard to imagine him going four days without pitching.

Grimm got plenty of work last season, finishing ninth among National League relievers in appearances in his first full season with the Cubs. He also was in the top 25 in strikeouts. But Grimm was a starter in 2013 with the Rangers, and he still holds onto the possibility he could return to the rotation, especially after a rainy August day at Wrigley Field.

"He's solid, he's motivated," Maddon said Sunday of the Cubs' top prospect. "He's got a really nice way about him. He's really good, he knows he's really good, but he carries that very well. I like that. False humility doesn't do anything. It's kind of a worthless quality. I think his humility is sincere, but he also knows that he's good."

Cubs reliever recounts story of November car wreck in Dominican Republic

MESA, Ariz. -- Contrary to reports in the Dominican Republic media, Cubs pitcher Pedro Strop is very much alive.

The Cubs' reliever was involved in a car accident in late November in the San Cristobal province, west of the capital of Santo Domingo. Strop was driving his convertible and making a right-hand turn at a T-intersection when he was rear-ended by someone driving a Range Rover. The impact pushed Strop's car into a wall and the vehicle was totaled. His only injury was a scratch on his left elbow.

MESA, Ariz. -- Minnie Minoso used to show up in the visiting manager's office at U.S. Cellular Field when the Rays were in town to talk baseball with Joe Maddon.

"He liked how we did things, that's what he would always want to talk about," Maddon said Sunday of the White Sox slugger, who passed away. "He liked the team, how we played, very complimentary. I tried to speak a little Spanish to him. He was like that with everybody. He just liked to talk about how our team played."

Cubs shortstop impressed by former outfielder's hitting knowledge

MESA, Ariz. -- Manny Ramirez has only been in Cubs camp since Wednesday, but he's already had an impact on the players.

"I think he has a great idea about hitting," shortstop Starlin Castro said of Ramirez, who was hired as a hitting consultant. "He was a great hitter and he can tell you everything about hitting. I think he's really smart.

MESA, Ariz. -- Jon Lester hasn't had a problem adjusting to the dry Arizona weather and feels the same way about throwing to different catchers. However, the Cubs pitcher did notice manager Joe Maddon talking to himself.

Maddon apparently uses a digital recorder on the field to take verbal notes during practice.

MESA, Ariz. -- If he could figure out a way, Miguel Montero would probably start all 162 games, but the Cubs catcher knows that's not going to happen.

Montero, 31, ranked third among all catchers last season in starts with 130, trailing only the the Royals' Salvador Perez (143) and the Brewers' Jonathan Lucroy (133). But Montero also batted .243. Would more rest have helped him stay fresh?

MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada, who had been slowed because of a tight left hamstring, threw a live batting-practice session on Saturday and passed all the tests.

"I thought he threw the ball really well," manager Joe Maddon said. "I did not see any kind of restriction. He looked very, very healthy. The ball had a lot of movement on it. He looked good for his first time out after having been restricted because of his leg."

Javier Baez is keeping count of his ST selfies

|

By Ben Cosman |

It is a simple inevitability that there will be hundreds upon hundreds of selfies taken at Spring Training this year. As such, it's nearly impossible to keep track of the deluge of faces that flows in with the force of a non-frozen Niagara Falls.

MESA, Ariz. -- With the retirement of singer-songwriter Tim Flannery, the soul of the three-time World Series champion Giants as their third-base coach and so much more, there no longer can be any serious debate. Joe Maddon is "The Most Interesting Man in Baseball." The dude in the popular television commercial can't compare to the real deal.

When the Cubs' brain trust made Maddon an offer he couldn't refuse to manage their youthful team in 2015 and beyond, it was the kind of enlightened thinking he does every day of his life. Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who had Maddon as his bench coach with the 2002 World Series champions before the Rays hired him in '06 to manage their floundering outfit out of darkness, calls his buddy "a Renaissance Man," adding, "I can talk about Joe all day.

Prolific base-stealer Pierre retires after 14-year career

Outfielder, who played for six teams, is not ready to coach

Email

Print

Pierre hits a walk-off single 0:46

4/10/03: Juan Pierre rips a walk-off single down the first-base line to give the Marlins a 4-3 win over the Mets

By Joe Frisaro
/
MLB.com |

JUPITER, Fla. -- Juan Pierre, the catalyst of the Marlins' 2003 World Series title team and one of the most prolific base-stealers of his generation, has announced his retirement. The 37-year-old speedster is walking away from the game after an impressive 14-year career.

Pierre, who lives in south Florida, is now a self-proclaimed "stay-at-home dad." He also isn't ready to accept a coaching position at this point.

Ranked No. 5 by MLBPipeline, SS looks forward to season after being acquired from A's

MESA, Ariz. -- Addison Russell has not had a chance to thank Jason Hammel for being part of the reason the shortstop was traded from the Athletics to the Cubs last July. It should be easy to do and won't even require a phone call. Hammel and Russell now find themselves in the same clubhouse with the Cubs.

Last July 5, Russell was included in the package the A's sent to Chicago for Hammel and Jeff Samardzija. The Cubs also received outfielder Billy McKinney and pitcher Dan Straily, who was dealt to the Astros in January along with Luis Valbuena for Dexter Fowler. Hammel returned to the Cubs after signing a two-year contract last December.

MESA, Ariz. -- Ernie Banks used to come up with a saying every year for the Cubs. This season, manager Joe Maddon's message has been painted along the first-base line of Field 1 at the Cubs' complex: Respect 90.

Last Dec. 3, Maddon posted the message on his Twitter account @CubsJoeMadd: "Respect 90 ... going to make daily push for our players to respect that distance .. run hard for 90 feet, and the respect will come back to you." It's also on his Twitter profile.